I don’t know what the hell kind of weird stuff you’re into, but I want no part in it. If you weren’t my son’s favorite teacher, I’d freaking report you. Now, stop following me.”
I felt like telling her I wasn’t technically a teacher wasn’t the right move here. “So you’re not a hitwoman?”
She laughed. “No. But you and your friends are completely insane.” She started walking away.
Tanner looked like he was about to reach out and grab her, but I told him to stop. “She doesn’t work for Mr. Pruitt,” I said. I let her walk away. I didn’t bother telling her that I wasn’t married. Or that I wasn’t crazy. Fuck, am I crazy?
“Why the hell didn’t you tell us Operation Water Buffalo was a go?” Rob asked. “She could have killed you.”
That was the name they’d come up with? Why? I shook my head. “She’s not a hitwoman. What the hell am I supposed to do now?”
Rob cleared his throat. “I can think of one thing you can do.” He nodded toward Tanner.
Did he really think this was the time or place to announce our best friend status? “You guys, if she’s not the one Mr. Pruitt hired, then who the hell is?” The little hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I turned around, but no one was there.
“It’s going to be fine,” Tanner said. “We’ll figure it out. I’m here for you.”
“Not as much as I’m here for you,” Rob said. “Tell him, Matt.”
“Tell me what?” Tanner asked.
I sighed and turned around. It was better just to get this over with. “Tanner, Rob’s my best friend.”
Tanner laughed. “Sorry, I think you just suffered an aneurysm. What did you say?”
“Rob’s my best friend.”
“Knew it,” Rob said and shoved Tanner’s shoulder.
“Did Robert force you to say that?” Tanner asked.
“No?”
“Ha!” said Tanner. “I knew it. What is wrong with you, Robert? Matt’s in distress. This isn’t the time for your shenanigans.”
“Matt, you have to say it like you mean it,” Rob said.
“But he doesn’t mean it,” Tanner said.
Rob reached out and ripped Tanner’s fake mustache off.
Tanner screamed at the top of his lungs.
I started laughing. Because there was nothing else I could do. And laughing. And laughing. My legs gave out and I sat down and just stared up at the stands.
“Um…are you okay?” Rob asked.
I didn’t reply.
He sat down next to me, and then Tanner did the same.
I’d put everything into this plan. And now I had…no idea what to do next. There was probably a hitwoman still out there somewhere. Mr. Pruitt was still on my back. And worst of all, Scarlett was still in danger.
“It’s going to be fine, man,” Rob said.
“No. It’s not.” I had to go to dinner with Poppy now. I had to do whatever she wanted in order to keep Scarlett safe. It was worse than owing a debt to the Pruitts. Poppy Cannavaro owned me. And she knew it.
Chapter 30
Wednesday
I hadn’t bothered changing for my dinner with Poppy. If she was forcing me to go out with her, I’d put in as little effort as possible until she got bored of me. Hopefully she’d get bored quickly. Tonight if I was lucky. But I wasn’t feeling very lucky. Because Poppy had chosen the one restaurant in the city that I hated.
Before stepping into Central Park, I stopped on the sidewalk and texted Kennedy. “How’s your ankle feeling tonight?” I couldn’t get her out of my head. I just needed one positive thing to happen today. And maybe looking forward to her reply would somehow get me through this dinner date from hell.
But I didn’t have to wait, because before I could even put my phone back in my pocket, her response came. It was a selfie of her in a chair with ice on her ankle. She was sticking her tongue out in the picture and I couldn’t help but laugh even though I felt guilty as hell.
I texted her back. “I have a dinner meeting right now. But can I bring you something to eat when I’m done?”
“I’m living with my mom. And she thinks food fixes everything, so I’m literally surrounded by food. So. Much. Food.”
I laughed again. That sounded about right. I pressed my lips together. I’d pretty much tried to invite myself over for the second night in a row. And she’d turned me down. I was surprised by the sinking feeling in my stomach. I wanted to pretend that I’d feel this way